


Never Doubt the Swiss

by TrepidationChance



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff and Humor, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2017-03-04
Packaged: 2018-09-15 07:05:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9224261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrepidationChance/pseuds/TrepidationChance
Summary: “Ice Skating Champion, Viktor Nikiforov, has arranged a stunning Short Program that will bring him a possible sixth consecutive gold medal.”AU where Viktor doesn't retire and skates 'On Love: Eros' to Yuuri with the whole world as an audience. AKA Viktor is still sulking about Yuuri's "rejection" after the Grand Prix Final and decides that revenge is sweet, especially if you're famous.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was scrolling through Tumblr when I found the idea of Viktor skating to 'On Love: Eros' in front of the world and Yuuri and I couldn't resist writing it out! Thanks to all those who contributed their headcanons in as well~ Please note that I am well aware that this is not my original idea to begin with; I just wanted to put pen to paper (or is it fingers to keys?) to produce a fic that people could enjoy. I hope you like it!

The ice rink is filled with fans from all over the globe, eager to see who will proceed to the Grand Prix Final. The Rostelecom Cup is the last of the six competitions that decide who the top six skaters are and Viktor has been allocated to participate in it.

He skates around the rink, making his way to the centre of the ice and looks around, desperate to find the Japanese man who had shattered his glass heart.

 _There_.

He spots him standing next to Chris, who waves and blows Viktor a kiss while his other hand is wrapped around Yuuri’s waist. A wave of jealousy washes over him, but lets the tide fall back as he stops in the middle of the rink. He cocks his hip out, lets his arms fall slack and closes his eyes.

It doesn’t matter, Viktor tells himself. It’s a miracle that he can perform this in front of Yuuri before the Grand Prix Final, without the pressure to defend his title.

No; not a miracle.

A chance.

A chance to show himself off and say _this could have been yours_. A chance to get back at the one who heartlessly deserted him. A chance to tell the whole world that Yuuri Katsuki played him.

“Here is “On Love: Eros”.”

The music starts.

He raises his arms and skims his hands down the sides of his body, before encircling them over his head. He spreads them out wide, skates backwards with the momentum before kicking the ice with his toe pick, bringing himself to a stop. He looks up with half-lidded eyes straight into Yuuri’s and licks his lips.

* * *

 

Chris whistles.

“Looks like you have an admirer.” He removes himself from Yuuri’s side and leans over the railing, eyes trailing after Viktor’s agile movements on the ice. He hears sputters from the Japanese man beside him and takes a glance back to see that Yuuri’s entire face is glowing red. He points at himself with shaky hands before he stutters out a question.

“M…m……me?!” He squeaks. His face flushes a shade darker as the prospect that _the_ Viktor Nikiforov was looking at him sinks in. Surely he wasn’t trying to pin down Yuuri Katsuki, a dime a dozen Japanese ice skater, with his seemingly endless aquamarine eyes while his platinum hair swept across to the side effortlessly. No, not him.

“Of course it’s you.” Chris hums.

“How can you be so sure?” Yuuri asks.

Chris ignores him. “His eros is quite formidable.” He pauses. “It’s nothing compared to me, of course.” He nods his head, agreeing with himself.

Yuuri couldn’t help but disagree. While Chris’ mature sensuality was nothing to sneeze at, Viktor’s routine is so _hot_ that it feels like he is going to be impregnated while the Russian skater melts the rink around him. Surely this amount of eros couldn’t be for him.

Yuuri looks around. Maybe he was looking at Chris? Or Mila, Georgi, Sueng Gil, Emil, Sala? Why does it matter anyway?

Then Yuuri remembers the pink tongue that danced over plump lips and _OH MY GOD –_

A sharp clap interrupts his train of thought, almost as if Viktor knew he was grossly misunderstanding the intentions of his short program.

* * *

 

Yuuri was right. He did misunderstand the purpose of “Eros”, and Viktor did clap to catch his attention. However, it wasn’t because of his musings. No, if Viktor knew what he was thinking, he would have entertained his ideas by smirking and sending a wink his way.

It was because Yuuri wasn’t _looking at him_.

How dare he! All this seduction and he seems to have no trouble averting his eyes from Viktor. He can almost hear Yakov in the background, mad at him for changing the choreography so suddenly. At least he clapped in time, right?

He eases back into the program, executing a flying sit spin and completes his combination spin. He skates backwards, brushes his hands up his thighs and brings his arms around as he goes into a spread eagle. He then jumps and lands a triple axel.

* * *

 

“Nikiforov’s theme the year is “Love”, as demonstrated here with his Short Program, which focuses on sexual love. The music is called “On Love: Eros” and its partner, “On Love: Agape”, is used for his Free Skate, which is based on unconditional love. It’s quite amazing to see such variation in Nikiforov’s skating on the ice, while still continuing to convey the same message.”

“It sure is. Many skaters like to juxtapose the emotions their routines portray. For example, Georgi Popovich’s theme is heartbreak this year and his two programs are based on the two opposing ideas of revenge and redemption. ”

“Nikiforov has never chosen “Love” before despite its popularity as a theme, as it’s quite easy to choreograph and skate to. However, it is obvious that he has stepped above the clichés and instead has decided to use his programs to represent love in its different forms rather than present it for loved ones.”

“It makes me wonder if after all these years of skating, whether Nikiforov has finally come to experience love for anything other than the ice.”

“Who knows? Perhaps he’s found someone to skate for or he’s just continuing to entertain us. Either way, if I can continue to witness such marvellous skating, then I have no reason to do anything but watch the man do his magic.”

* * *

 

His next jump is a combination made up of a quadruple salchow and a triple toe loop, which he nails as well. The last jump is a quadruple flip, but his mind wanders off as his body skates to the familiar sounds of bowed and strummed strings. He lets the percussive sounds of claps move him, whilst allowing the melody to lull him into a sultry dance.

He thinks back to last year’s Grand Prix Final, when he first laid eyes on the younger Japanese man. His jumps weren’t worth mentioning, but his step sequence enthralled him, compelling Viktor to ask for a commemorative photo after the competition. He never knew what dismissal felt like until that moment, watching Yuuri’s back as he turned and walked away without a second glance. He reprimanded himself. Of course he wouldn’t want a photo with him. To Yuuri, it must have felt like Viktor kissed his gold medal and then proceeded to slap him across the face with it.

It’s okay, he thought. He would just have to explain himself at the banquet afterwards. He never got the chance to, however, as he was dragged left and right by other skaters to participate in photos. How ironic. When he finally escaped from Chris’ embrace, Yuuri had apparently already downed his 15th glass of champagne and was reaching for another flute. By the time he reached the corner of the room where he first spotted the Japanese skater, he was met with a table filled with empty champagne glasses.

He heard a commotion and turned around, expecting Yuri to be whining about the lost chance for more practice, only to find himself speechless at the sight in front of him. Yuuri Katsuki, the man who had rejected _Viktor Nikiforov’s_ invitation for a photo, was engaged in a _dance battle_ with Yuri. He immediately whipped out his phone and took a few shots, never wanting to forget this moment. While he cheered them on, he noticed Chris in the background, smirking as he too took a few photos of the dance off.  Yuuri also noticed him, as he patted Yuri on the back, and immediately ran up to him and pulled him over to the – since when did the room have a dance pole?!

They first took turns, scattering their clothes all over the floor. Thank god they at least had the decency to leave their underwear alone, although the dances were no way in hell appropriate for young children. Yakov shepherded Yuri away from the crowd, much to his dismay.

“Who cares? We’re all men!” Yuri’s voice could be heard from the back as the two pole dancers began to twist and turn together. It was erotic and obscene, the way the two manoeuvred along the pole and – wait, was Yuuri supporting Chris’ entire weight?!

That one night fuels his dreams, whether it be the lithe and flexible body underneath tight, conforming material, gliding and weaving across the ice or the muscles that ripple beneath taut skin, perfectly capable of pinning him against a wall and having his way with him.

Stop it.

Viktor blinked back to reality.

Too much eros.

He didn’t choreograph this program based on an Agape or Eros Yuuri. No. He based it on the Yuuri who had thrown his shirt and pants back on – what a shame – and coerced him to dance. _That_ was the Yuuri who captured his heart. It was so much fun to dance like no one was looking, despite the crowd of skaters and coaches who looked on as World Champion Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki circled around each other, laughing and smiling without a care in the world.

It was at the end of the night that Viktor realised he forgot to tell the Japanese skater about the commemorative photo. He placed his hands on Yuuri’s waist and spun him around to face him and started to explain himself when suddenly, two arms encircled around him and pulled him into an embrace.

“ヴィクトルー!　シーズン終わったら、うち温泉やってるんで来て下さい!”

Viktor paid no attention to whatever Yuuri was saying. He couldn’t understand it anyway. Instead, he was very well aware of the hot, sweaty body that was grinding up against his crotch. He was also aware of the many phones trained on the two of them, as well as Yuri grinding his teeth next to him and Chris’ surprised expression on his face.

The arms that were wrapped around him just as suddenly dropped down, bringing Viktor’s attention back to Yuuri’s face.

“このダンスバトルでオイが勝ったら、コーチになってくれるってやろう！”

He watched as brown eyes widened, drowning him in the admiration and love he could see from Yuuri. He let out a small exhale in shock; no one had ever looked at him like that before. Yuuri once again latched onto him, his arms wrapped around his neck now as he finally sang out in English.

“Be my coach, Viktor!”

* * *

 

Yuuri watches Viktor execute each jump flawlessly, envious of how intimate his every move is. He wonders if it’s just an age or experience thing and if he’ll ever be able to find his inner eros. That’ll never happen, Yuuri laughs at himself. Never.

Viktor continues to skate enticingly, before finishing his short program with his arms wrapped around his head, sweat dripping off his hair as he poses the moment the music stops.

Silence. Then the crowd breaks into a roar.

“Spectacular! Once again, Nikiforov has us blown away with his alluring Short Program!”

Yuuri watches Viktor wave at the audience, spinning around in circles along the ice before making eye contact with him. They both freeze, but Viktor composes himself first and lowers his arm. He brings his hand up to his lips and blows a kiss at Yuuri. The crowd erupts in sound again.

“What’s this? It seems that Nikiforov has blown a kiss to someone! It appears to be one of the many skaters who have assembled at the front to watch his program!”

Yuuri feels someone nudging him and brings his head up to see Chris, Georgi and Mila looking at him.

“W…what?”

“Viktor’s giving you quite a lot of affection, isn’t he?” replies Mila.

Yuuri shakes his head. “N…no way! The kiss was probably aimed at one of you three. Or maybe Sala!”

“Why would you think that, Yuuri?” Chris stands up straight and stretches. “It’s pretty obvious he wants your number. And more.”

“W…wha….WHAT?!”

“Nonsense.” Georgi quips. “He’s not skating to sexual attraction.”

“What do you mean? Eros means sexual love.”

“It’s not the music that dictates the story, Chris.”

“Then what is it?” Yuuri asks.

“Heartbreak.”

Yuuri pauses. “Heartbreak?”

“Yes. He’s just like me, trying to cast a spell on the one who broke him.” Georgi emphatically comments.

Mila tilts her head in confusion. “He doesn’t seem like he’s condemning Yuuri though. He looks like he’s trying to take him out.”

“Why are you guys so certain it’s me?!”

“Because you’re cute, Yuuri!” Chris explains.

Yuuri can feel his thoughts spinning. “So if I assume you are all right, which you may not be!” Yuuri points out, “Viktor is skating about his heartbreak and wants to date _me_. Am I a rebound or something?”

“No, Viktor would never be so petty to do that.” Georgi replies. “If he’s chasing after you, it’s because it’s genuine.”

“Then what’s heartbreak got to do with this?” Mila asks.

“It’s the story, Mila. He got dumped.”

“He’s not dancing like he got dumped. He’s dancing like he got laid.”

“No, he isn’t.” Chris quickly retorts. “He hasn’t gotten laid.”

No one questions Chris. Silence builds amongst the four until a reporter barges in, shoving his microphone in front of Mila.

“Hi! We were just wondering if you could answer some of our questions? Thanks! So, I’m assuming that the four of you were right here when Viktor blew the kiss, right? Was it for you?”

The reporter presses the microphone right up to Mila’s face, which she pushes away and calmly replies.

“No comment. I’m not here to gossip about my friend.” The other two nod their heads and Yuuri slightly bows his in apology.

The reporter takes the hint and storms off, looking for other skaters to prey on. The four sigh before walking together towards the change rooms, as the three men had rushed straight to the stands to watch the other competitors skate and hadn’t changed. Mila finds Sala to latch onto and the two women walk away together, probably to go antagonise some poor soul while Yuuri goes to his locker to grab his change of clothes.

He first peels off his fingerless gloves and is careful not to accidently rip a hole in the thin mesh. Slowly, he shimmies out of his tight costume, well aware of the sweat that continues to cling onto him. He throws on a pair of pants and shirt as quickly as his battered body would let him and breathes out a sigh as he sits down on a bench. Tomorrow is his last chance to prove himself and skate on the same ice as his idol.

First, he needs a bath.

* * *

 

“This year is going to be a tough one! After the Free Skate last night, the top six who will be competing at the Grand Prix Final have been decided. The skaters have all performed marvellous routines, but there can only be one worthy of the gold.”

“Those who have made it to the Finals are Christophe Giacometti, Yuri Plisetsky, Otabek Altin, Phichit Chulanont, Yuuri Katsuki and Viktor Nikiforov. What do you think of them?”

“Of course the favourite to win is Nikiforov, back again to try to accomplish his sixth consecutive gold medal. Many speculated that he was going to retire after last season but were relieved to see that the rumours were false.”

“Giacometti has expressed his delight to be competing against him again. He seems especially determined to win this year, saying that there may never be a chance to best Nikiforov if he doesn’t try his hardest. I think he was spooked out by the prospect of never skating against him again.”

“We all were! But I think Chris also feels challenged. His forte is his amorous and languid skating style and has mentioned that he will not lose to Nikiforov in this aspect of their Short Programs. The Russian has skated with some maturity before, but never to such a suggestive theme and song choice.”

“Perhaps I was right about him finding new inspiration to skate; that kiss at the rink tonight has all his fans trying to figure out who has captured their idol’s attention. Some think it could be fellow Russian skaters, Mila Babicheva or Georgi Popovich, or perhaps he was provoking Giacometti. On the other hand, some spectators at the rink that night have raised their hands and said that _they_ made eye contact with Nikiforov before he blew the kiss.”

“Who knows? Maybe we’ll be able to get some answers from the man at a later date. Another fan favourite is Plisetsky, whose senior debut has amazed spectators all around the world. Not only does he have Yakov Feltsman as a coach, apparently Nikiforov also occasionally gives him tips to improve.”

“To have a world champion and an exceptional coach by his side is one thing. Having Lilia Baranovskaya, former prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Ballet, choreographing his programs is another. Here is a young genius skater with all the support he could ever need to reach, overcome and outperform the rest of the competition at the Grand Prix Final.”

“This year is particularly exciting, as there are new faces amongst the competitors. Kazakhstan is rooting for their hero as Altin makes it to the Grand Prix Final for the first time. He treats the rink like a battlefield and is the dark horse that aims to throw everyone off the podium, as he’s been telling us that he wants to bring the gold back to his home country.”

“Altin is not the only one to be looking out for. Chulanont is the first Thai skater to participate in the Grand Prix Final. He is also the first Thai to ever land a quad of any sort! If there is any ice skater who is currently breaking records and writing history, it is this man. He is out to prove that anything is possible for anyone!”

“Like Coach Feltsman, Coach Celestino Cialdini has also managed to squeeze in his two students. Unlike Chulanont though, Katsuki is no stranger to the audience as he competed last season.”

“Despite his misfortune, he has shown no signs of stopping, determined to reach the podium with a gold medal around his neck this year. He has received training from Minako Okukawa, a world renowned ballerina who has received the Benois de la Danse, one of the ballet world’s greatest honours. If Plisetsky thinks he has an upper hand with his ballet training, he has another thing coming! Apparently, Katsuki has been studying under Okukawa for his entire childhood.”

“I must say that Katsuki is certainly the underdog of this season. Many didn’t think he would be able to come back from last season’s loss, but I’m quite glad that he has managed to snag a spot in the top six. His programs are top notch, especially his free skate, which embodies Katsuki’s devotion to his sport.”

“Do you think it is a coincidence that his theme corresponds with Nikiforov’s?”

“No, I don’t think so. Both were on the verge of retirement and perhaps it was love that brought them back. Of course, their interpretations of the theme are quite different. Katsuki’s programs are a tribute to his love of ice skating while Nikiforov’s are a symbol of its many facets. Vastly different perspectives, but both have similarly beautiful choreography.”

“Now that I think about it, Katsuki was around the vicinity where Nikiforov blew his kiss.”

“Don’t feed the rumours.”

“You never know! It’d be one hell of a love story, I can say that much.”

* * *

 

The internet explodes.

Does Viktor know Yuuri? Did they meet each other last season?

Did Viktor comfort Yuuri when he lost spectacularly?

Maybe they knew each other before the Grand Prix Final?

This gave rise to many fan theories:

Perhaps they first met when they were still juniors at a competition and became really good friends. This was shot down immediately as there were no competitions before the Grand Prix Final where the two had competed together.

Maybe Yuuri was a spectator and fell in love with Viktor, chasing after him and stole Viktor’s heart. While this was the closest to the truth, many shot this down too, saying that Viktor wouldn’t have been swayed so easily by his fans; trust them, they know.

Other outrageous speculations pointed out that Yuuri could have been studying under Lilia Baranovskaya due to Minako Okukawa’s recommendation, allowing Yuuri to go to Russia and meet Viktor there. Yuri himself turned the theory down.

“HUH?! That stupid old hag wouldn’t bother with a pig like him!”

A particularly scandalous conjecture was that Viktor and Yuuri were in a carnal relationship, which resulted in Yuuri’s loss last season due to his lower half being completely ravished by -

* * *

 

 “PHICHIT! WHAT IS THIS?!”

 Phichit pops his head up from his pillow. The two were lying along their beds, which were pushed up against each other in their shared hotel room. He had passed his phone over to Yuuri to show him an article he found interesting, only for him to read some ridiculous fan’s very, very, _very_ incorrect guesswork.

“Oh, you got up to the breakup? I knew it couldn’t be true! I know you too well; you would never separate from Viktor for something so petty like a dog’s name. If anything, I bet he would be flattered!! No, you’d need a bulldozer and an earthquake at least to-”

“Wait, what?”

“Oh my god, did I just give you a spoiler?! Keep reading!! You need to reach the end!”

“No, I don’t! And what do you mean “I knew it couldn’t be true”? Of course it can’t be true!” Yuuri gestures at his best friend with said friend’s phone. “The moment you read the thing about me and Viktor in a relationship, you must have known it was false!”

“Hey, don’t break my phone! I need it!” Phichit snatches it from his grasp and places it on his now unoccupied pillow. “Of course I knew it was false. If you were in a relationship with Viktor, you would have told me.” He looks up at Yuuri. “Right?”

“Of course I would.”

“Even if it was a ‘carnal’ relationship?”

“Phichit.” Yuuri places a hand over his heart and gasps. “You don’t believe me?”

“Of course I do! Just needed to reinforce my position as your wingman.”

Yuuri sighs. “Sure you do.”

“But seriously, the fans’ speculations are actually quite interesting. I have no idea where they pull these scenarios from!”

“Georgi’s interpretation of Viktor’s Short Program didn’t help.”

“I know, right?” Phichit picks up his phone and taps on its screen, no doubt pulling up Georgi’s interview.

“A handsome, charming playboy comes to a certain town and bewitches the women, left and right. He decides to pursue the most beautiful one of them all, but she isn’t swayed. As they play the game of love, she finds it difficult to make the right choices and ends up falling for him. Then he casts her aside, as though he’s tired of her and goes off to the next town.” Phichit reads out dramatically, complete with epic hands gestures and a Russian accent.

Yuuri giggles before attempting to respond. “I…still don’t see what this has to do with me.”

“The fans have seemed to establish that you were the one Viktor kissed.” Phichit replies cheekily and laughs when his rink mate starts to stammer out in embarrassment, hands waving in denial.

“He…he _blew_ a kiss!! There was no lip on lip action!!”

Phichit cocks his head. “So you admit it was you?”

“No!” Yuuri yelps.

“You sure it’s not you?”

“Yes!”

“The fans seem to think so.” Phichit plays around with his phone again. “There’s even proof!”

He plays a video on YouTube where a fan was recording Viktor’s Short Program. The start shows Viktor staring straight at the stands where Yuuri and the other skaters were observing. The Yuuri in the video can be seen gasping and Chris is beside him, smiling knowingly. His face is flushed, even as he looks left and right and then Viktor’s clap brings his head back forward towards the rink.

“Wait for it!” Phichit whispers.

“On Love: Eros” finishes and Viktor moves out of his pose, skating around the rink to wave at the crowd. Then, he suddenly stops and brings his hand down to his mouth, blowing a kiss. His arm extended out towards Yuuri. There was no mistaking it. The combination of Yuuri’s red face and Chris nudging him with an elbow, as well as Mila and Georgi’s attention trained on the Japanese skater made it obvious that all the affection from Viktor that night were for Yuuri.

“Dammit Chris…”

“He’s never wrong.”

“Well, he must be this time!”

“Why not accept the fact that Viktor’s trying to hook up with you?” Phichit lies down on his back, arms under his head as he continues to look up at Yuuri. “Isn’t this a good thing? That means your feeling are-”

“-not relevant.” Yuuri finishes for him. He grabs his pillow and hides his face in it, not wanting to see Phichit’s disappointment.

“Don’t say that.”

He hears it anyway. “…Sorry.” Yuuri mumbles.

Silence fills the room before Phichit pulls the pillow away from his face. Yuuri sees his friend’s radiant smile and knows that the matter will be addressed later.

“Fans are weird, huh.”

“Yeah, they are. Why are they so invested with their headcanons? We’re real people!”

“Really _hot_ real people!” Phichit teases.

“Stop that, I’m serious.” Yuuri protests. “Just because Viktor happens to skate to some fantasy about a playboy who dumps someone while gesturing to me doesn’t mean we have a relationship.”

“Um, yeah it does?” Phichit points at him. “Making you his target can’t be a coincidence! He can’t not know you – not after “Yuri on Ice” – and he probably still remembers you rejecting his offer for a photo. _I_ would remember someone rejecting a selfie with me!”

“How did you-”

“Chris heard it from the man himself. Apparently he was quite embarrassed and wanted to apologise to you at the banquet.”

“What? He did?”

Phichit sighs. “Anyway, Let’s get ready for dinner.”

Yuuri fidgets. “I wonder if I can ask Yuri to arrange a date for me to meet Madame Lilia.” He bounces off his bed and reaches down into his suitcase to grab a jacket. “Or do you think that’s impossible, given what happened last season?”

“Nah, go for it! If he turns you down, at least you tried.” Phichit places his cap backwards onto his head, grabs his wallet and phone before making his way to the door.

“Wait.” Yuuri halts him and hands him a face mask. “With the amount of selfies you take, we’ll need extra precautions to avoid the media.”

“Look at you, so caring towards me. Viktor would be heartbroken.” Phichit pauses. “No wait, he already is!”

“Phichit, don’t bully me! I didn’t do anything!” Yuuri whines at his friend.

Phichit scoffs. “Viktor says otherwise.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Yuuri’s phone suddenly lights up.

“Eh? Nishigori?” Yuuri opens the message and sees a link.

He taps it open.

* * *

 

“So, congratulations on getting gold!”

“Thank you.”

“Your theme this season is love, yes? What were your reasons behind this theme?”

“Well, love comes in many forms and I wanted to show that to the audience.”

“Lovely! Get it? Anyway, it also seems like you have been showing love to a certain someone; may I ask who is it?”

“As long as the person is well aware of it, then there is no need to say.”

“Oh, a secret! The fans love a good secret! Which reminds me, have you seen the speculations they have been throwing around?”

“They’re quite unique, aren’t they.”

“Yes yes, no doubt they are fuelled by Georgi’s interpretation of your Short Program. Do you agree with his analysis of your routine?”

“To each their own. The beauty about art is that there are so many sides to the story.”

“And which side of the story do you fit in, Viktor?”

“Well, my costume was made to portray both masculine and feminine features, so I guess it’s up to the interpreter which role I play.”

“So you don’t deny that you could be the beautiful woman in Georgi’s story?”

“I’ll have to take that as a compliment!”

* * *

 

Viktor purposefully sits as far away from Chris as possible, not wanting to hear the jabs and taunts the Swiss no doubt had about his interview. It’s not like Chris doesn’t support him, he thinks. More like he has more fun making Viktor the punchline of his many jokes.

Otabek and Yuri had already seated themselves side by side to Viktor’s right, having become close that very same day. How suspicious. Viktor wonders if their apparently established relationship is due to natural friendship or something else… He’s betting on something else.

There are only two spots free on the table now. That means one of the two competitors who haven’t arrived yet, Phichit or Yuuri, will be sitting next to him.

Please let it be Yuuri.

Viktor spots a green phone on a selfie stick, rising above the heads of pedestrians. Did the fans find them already?! He ducks his head down, cursing himself. There aren’t many people who have thinning grey hair and the build of an athlete. Of course it would be easy to spot Viktor Nikiforov, eating at a restaurant on a table next to the window like a sitting duck about to be shot. However, Chris looks out and smiles at whatever he sees in the crowd.

He waves, having obviously spotted someone he knows and gestures towards the empty seats. Viktor perks up to see who he assumes to be Phichit dragging a seemingly reluctant Yuuri behind him. The two of them have no trouble entering the restaurant and make their way to the table. The Thai skater immediately situates himself next to Chris, leaving Yuuri squirming as the only available seat is next to Viktor.

If only Nishigori hadn’t sent that link, Yuuri thinks as Viktor pats the chair to his left, inviting him to sit. He gingerly places himself down, carefully avoiding blue soulful eyes by looking down at his lap and nodding his head slightly in thanks. If only Yuuri hadn’t opened that link. Then maybe he would be able to look up and talk to his idol.

“Hello, Yuuri.”

He peeks to his right and sees Viktor grinning happily, like he hadn’t accused Yuuri of committing a heinous crime. He can still hear Yuuko screaming at him for breaking the poor man’s heart. Yet, how could he hurt a man who he had never been able to talk to despite wanting to so badly for years. He feels a jab press into his left side.

“H…he…hello…Viktor.”

“It’s so nice to see you again!” Viktor replies, resting his head on his hand, turning himself to face the nervous man who was fiddling with the fabric of his pants.

“Would you like a menu?” Otabek asks, offering Yuuri an olive branch and a means to escape from the stiff atmosphere. He takes the menu from the Kazakh’s hand and busies himself by flipping through it, leaning back to allow Phichit to see the choices when in actual fact he just wants to distance himself from Viktor’s steely gaze.

Oh, he must have really screwed up to have those eyes turn to ice.

“Yes, let’s order, shall we? Drinks first, I say.” Chris decides. He raises his hand to call over a waiter and each person orders their preferred drink. Only Viktor orders alcohol while the rest chooses juice. He almost looks happy with his mature preference, but then seems to remember that he is the oldest out of the six skaters and droops sadly over his glass filled with beer.

He glances towards Yuuri, who has made it his mission to appear as small as possible behind the menu, and sees him visibly shrink backwards into his seat.

“Do you not like to drink?” Viktor asks.

“Eh? U…um… I try not to drink before a competition.” Yuuri mumbles softly.

Of course! Stupid, stupid Viktor! The Grand Prix Final was tomorrow. It was just like last year all over again! He must look like a fool, drinking in front of the other competitors. No, he’s not an idiot; he’s a jerk. They must think he’s flaunting his confidence in winning the gold medal.

It’s fine, he says to himself. He can fix this.

“Can I take a look at the menu?”

Yuuri looks up at Viktor and swallows when he meets deep azure eyes, drowning him in a sea of sapphire before he recalls the request.

“Oh, yeah. Um. Here.” He hands the menu over to Viktor, looking over at Phichit, pleading him to help in any way possible. Suddenly, he feels a soft, warm hand on his wrist. He takes a sharp intake of air and whips his head around to face the Russian skater.

“We can look at it together, да?” 

Yuuri nods hesitantly, not entirely too sure what to do. He lays the menu flat on the table and leans close enough to see it without touching Viktor. The hand stays though. Circular motions run up and down on his wrist, simultaneously soothing him as well as raising goose bumps along his arm.

“Do you see anything that you like?”

You, he immediately thinks. Instead, he stays silent, looking back down at his lap.

“It’s okay.” Viktor reassures him. “We can order a whole bunch of stuff and try it all! Right, Chris?”

“Sure, that’s fine with me. Are the rest of you okay with that?” He was met with affirmative nods and thumbs of approval. Viktor turns his head to grin at Yuuri, which is returned with a weak but polite nod. This causes his smile to widen as he looks back down at the menu again, happily humming to himself.

The waiter is called back to take down their new orders, before rushing off to fill up their glasses. While they may have chosen a lot, it’s a celebratory night before the competition and the six skaters definitely didn’t want to go back to the hotel only to order room service.

The food arrives, one dish at a time, and they all dig in. The cuisine is unfamiliar to Yuuri, having never been to Spain before, and is slightly hesitant on what to have. Everyone else is already eating and Phichit takes pity on him, heaping food onto both of their plates.

“вкусно!”

Yuuri jumps in his chair; the sudden exclamation from the older Russian skater takes him by surprise.

“It means ‘delicious’.” Yuri snorts as he continues to eat.

Nodding his head, Yuuri leans forward to take a bite.

“Ah, it is vkusno.” He mumbles softly to himself. Viktor swivels his head to face Yuuri, before letting out a wide smile.

“It is, isn’t it! Oh, you have to try the shrimp. These noodles are fantastic as well! Don’t forget to eat some salad. You also need some meat if you’re going to want to make your jumps!”

Yuuri is taken aback by his enthusiasm. This whole day has confused him to no end. He first thought that it would be a miracle to be able to talk to his idol, then downright impossible after seeing the interview. Now, when the chance presents itself, Yuuri feels too scared to reply. Instead, he gives another small nod and continues eating.

Viktor pouts. He wants Yuuri to talk to him, but he can’t seem to get a word out of the Japanese man. He looks at Phichit, who replies with a shrug. Giving one of his own in response, he shifts around to face Yuri to talk about their sleeping arrangement.

“No! I’m not pushing my bed up to yours.” Yuri protests.

“Why not? It’ll be like a slumber party!”

“Go find someone else to have a slumber party with!” He yells out. “What are you, five?”

They continue their banter, much to the amusement of Otabek, who calmly eats while the two Russians throw childish insults at each other. Viktor is in the middle of telling Yuri how he’s a scaredy cat for not talking to his fans – well, he has to admit that some of the Yuri’s Angels are kinda creepy – when he feels something poking his scalp.

Silence fills the table.

“S-sorry!” Yuuri exclaims, removing his finger from Viktor’s head and waves his hands around in front of himself like he’s trying to swat away the stares from the other skaters. “I couldn’t help it!”

Viktor places a hand on his head. He knew it. Maybe he is too old for this.

“Is it getting that thin?”

“No nonono!” He sees Yuuri shaking his head furiously. “It’s very thick and shiny!”

Viktor places his other hand on his chest and bends over the table.

“You’ve wounded me.” He whines. “I don’t know if I’ll ever recover from this.”

“I’m sorry! Please get up! I don’t know what I was thinking!”

Chris shakes his head. “Well, those two seem to get along fine.” He comments to Phichit, who hums in agreement.

* * *

 

The night continues, the conversation seeming to flow endlessly amongst the six skaters. Despite the knowledge that they were going to wrestle for the gold tomorrow, none of them could find it in themselves to act hostile towards anyone.

“Still, it’s kind of weird for us all to be here like this before the Final starts.” Yuuri admits. “Last season, I was always by myself, even at the banquet.” He scratches his chin, cheeks tinted pink. “I couldn’t even work up the courage to talk to Viktor.”

“WHAT?” Viktor coughs out. His eyes search through Yuuri’s and – oh god, he’s serious. He doesn’t know. He –

“You don’t remember?”

Yuuri tilts his head slightly. “Hm?”

Viktor can feel his face fall. Chris notices and decides to break the news to the Japanese skater.

“Yuuri, you got drunk on champagne and started dancing. Everyone saw it.”

Huh? Yuuri freezes.

“That was disgusting as hell. I was dragged into a dance-off and got humiliated, too!” Yuri points out begrudgingly.

A dance-off?!

“I did mine on a pole, half naked.” Chris continues.

EH?

“I still have videos of what happened.” Viktor pulls out his phone.

Chris does the same. “I do, too.” He taps at the screen and leans towards Phichit, allowing him to take a look.

“Wait, what?” Phichit’s face slackens with surprise before he claps his hands over his mouth. “Yuuri, that’s so dirty! Since when could you dance like that? I should have taken you to clubs more often.”

“Don’t look!” Yuuri all but yells out. “W-wait! Cut it out already!” He tries to snatch Chris’ phone, but the man manoeuvres himself beyond his reach.

Viktor leans towards Otabek. “Isn’t it amazing?” He shows him a video, not paying much attention to it as his mind spins out of control. Yuuri doesn’t remember. Great. Fantastic. He has been pining for a man who believes that the first time he ever talked to him was tonight. Just wonderful.

He can see the detailed planning he spent all his time and effort on crumbling away. Not saying that “Eros” and “Agape” were worthless; no, he was confident he could win with his programs. It’s just that… he had choreographed them to match with the banquet last season. The endless days he spent staring at the very same video he was showing Otabek now, tirelessly practising the routines until they were perfect, the suffocating emotions – unknown and unanswered – as well as the many nights filled with both enchanting and enticing dreams all led to this: Yuuri Katsuki is a cruel man.

He needs another drink.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An article after the GPF.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wahhhhh! Thank you so much for the support and love you give to this fic~  
> I've written a small add on and I hope you guys like it!

**Four Reasons Why Viktuuri is a Thing**

_The Grand Prix Finals have ended and what a ride it has been! All six contestants’ routines were phenomenal and truly portrayed the passion they all have for their sport. As predicted by many, the two Russian skaters stood on the podium last night, with Viktor Nikiforov winning his sixth consecutive gold medal and Yuri Plisetsky opening his senior debut with silver._ _What surprised many was Yuuri Katsuki’s comeback from last year’s Grand Prix Finals as it was assumed that he would retire, despite that rumour being never confirmed. He ended up taking the last spot up in the podium with a bronze medal around his neck and a big smile on his face. What a cutie!_

_However, an interesting development between him and Nikiforov arose this year. During his short program, Nikiforov was seen flirting with Katsuki! Fans exploded with speculations as to their relationship entails. Some guessed that they are friends and it was only friendly banter, but the most popular theory is that the two skaters are romantically involved._

[Viktor and Yuuri are in a carnal relationship, which resulted in Yuuri’s loss last season due to his lower half being completely ravished]

_Last night, more evidence to support this theory has been noted by many._

_Here’s a list!_

  1. _“Yuri on Ice”_



_This first one is a bit sketchy, but many fans are convinced that Katsuki’s Free Skate had additional elements. His theme was “love” and this routine portrays his passion for ice skating. Last night, however, some have said that it was almost like he delivered a different program. The reasons behind this shift in performance are unclear, but speculations say that Yuri was skating a tribute of his love for_ Nikiforov _._

  1. _“On Love: Agape”_



_Nikiforov’s Free Skate, on the other hand, was definitely different from the one he skated at the Rostelecom Cup. Not only his movements more languid, his jumps were performed delicately, with his arms up, which is much more difficult to succeed. At the end of his program, he even waved towards Katsuki before blowing him another kiss._

  1. _Podium_



_At the podium, when they were receiving their medals, Nikiforov seemed to be excessively giving the Japanese skater pats to the shoulder and arm. Plisetsky seemed to have noticed this as well, as he visibly edged himself further away from the two. While they were having their photos taken, Nikiforov wrapped his arm around Katsuki! What was even more surprising was that he received a smile back!! Of course, Plisetsky was not included in the hugfest, which is why many say this is a valid piece of evidence._

  1. _Gala_



_What sealed the deal for many people on the existence of “Viktuuri” – their pairing name – occurred near the end of Katsuki’s gala performance: he attempted a quadruple flip! Although he did not land it, there were still enough rotations. You might wonder why this jump is such a key argument for the Victuuri shippers. That’s because it is Nikiforov’s signature move! It’s not often that someone dedicates a jump for you, am I right?_

_These are the main reasons why Viktor Nikiforov and Yuuri Katsuki have become such icons overnight. The speculations over their relationship caused an influx of new spectators to the sport and attracted new fans to love ice skating, much like Katsuki’s Free Skate. There are now new rumours that Nikiforov plans to become his coach, giving up his impressive six gold medal streak for our persistent Japanese ice skater._

_If that isn’t love, then what is?_

**Author's Note:**

> The Japanese was transcribed from the end of episode ten and I did it myself, so if it's wrong, I'm sorry!!! Also, the Russian is from Google Translate. I have no idea how to use Cyrillic. Please feel free to tell me if I've made a mistake anywhere~


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